The Lady of the Rivers

Jacquetta always has had the gift of second sight. As a child visiting her uncle, she met his prisoner, Joan of Arc, and saw her own power reflected in the young woman accused of witchcraft. They share the mystery of the tarot card of the wheel of fortune before Joan is taken to a horrific death. Jacquetta understands the danger for a woman who dares to dream. Jacquetta is married to the Duke of Bedford, English regent of France, and he introduces her to a mysterious world of learning and alchemy.

The Women of the Cousins' War: The Duchess, the Queen and the King's Mother

In her essay on Jacquetta, Philippa Gregory uses original documents, archaeology and histories of myth and witchcraft to create the first-ever biography of the young duchess who was to survive two reigns and two wars to become the first lady at two rival courts. David Baldwin, established author on the Wars of the Roses, tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the first commoner to marry a king of England for love, and Michael Jones, fellow of the Royal Historical Society, writes of Margaret Beaufort, the almost-unknown matriarch of the House of Tudor. The Women of the Cousins’ War will appeal to all.

Elizabeth of York: A Tudor Queen and Her World

Many are familiar with the story of the much-married King Henry VIII of England and the celebrated reign of his daughter, Elizabeth I. But it is often forgotten that the life of the first Tudor queen, Elizabeth of York, Henry's mother and Elizabeth's grandmother, spanned one of England' s most dramatic and perilous periods. Now New York Times best-selling author and acclaimed historian Alison Weir presents the first modern biography of this extraordinary woman.

The Vatican Princess: A Novel of Lucrezia Borgia

Glamorous and predatory, the Borgias fascinated and terrorized 15th-century Renaissance Italy, and Lucrezia Borgia, beloved daughter of the pope, was at the center of the dynasty's ambitions. Slandered as a heartless seductress who lured men to their doom, was she in fact the villainess of legend, or was she trapped in a familial web, forced to choose between loyalty and survival?

Wideacre: Wideacre, Book 1

Philippa Gregory's first story in the best-selling Wideacre trilogy. A compelling tale of passion and intrigue set in the 18th century. From the author of The Other Boleyn Girl and The Virgin's Lover. Wideacre Hall, set in the heart of the English countryside, is the ancestral home that Beatrice Lacey loves. But as a woman of the 18th century, she has no right of inheritance. Corrupted by a world that mistreats women, she sets out to corrupt others.

Six Tudor Queens: Katherine of Aragon, the True Queen

The lives of Henry VIII's queens make for dramatic stories, and Alison Weir writes a series of novels that offer insights into the real lives of the six wives based on extensive research and new theories. In all the romancing, has anyone regarded the evidence that Anne Boleyn did not love Henry VIII? Or that Prince Arthur, Katherine of Aragon's first husband, who is said to have loved her, in fact cared so little for her that he willed his personal effects to his sister?

Changeling: Order of Darkness, Book 1

The year is 1492. Sixteen-year-old Titus Devere is thrown out of his religious order after proving that a divine revelation (blood streaming from a religious icon) was a fake, using his knowledge of Moorish science. He is brilliant and gorgeous but, cast as a heretic, he is sent to the Vatican in Rome where he expects to be punished or executed. Instead he is recruited into a secret order investigating strange occurrences across Europe. Known as The Order of the Dragon, it is headed up by a mysterious man with a tattoo of a coiled dragon on his arm.

Shadow on the Crown: A Novel

In 1002, 15-year-old Emma of Normandy crosses the Narrow Sea to wed the much older King Athelred of England, whom she meets for the first time at the church door. Thrust into an unfamiliar and treacherous court, with a husband who mistrusts her, stepsons who resent her and a bewitching rival who covets her crown, Emma must defend herself against her enemies and secure her status as queen by bearing a son.

The Confessions of Catherine de Medici: A Novel

In this brilliantly imagined novel, acclaimed author C. W. Gortner brings Catherine to life in her own voice, allowing us to enter the intimate world of a woman whose determination to protect her family’s throne and realm plunged her into a lethal struggle for power. From the fairy-tale chateaux of the Loire Valley to the battlefields of the wars of religion to the mob-filled streets of Paris, this is the extraordinary untold journey of one of the most maligned and misunderstood women ever to be queen.

A Dangerous Inheritance

Historian and New York Times best-selling author Alison Weir is acclaimed for her absorbing works about the infamous House of York and House of Tudor lines. In A Dangerous Inheritance, Weir uses her wealth of knowledge to craft a compelling novel about two women, living 70 years apart, who are linked through the mysterious disappearance of King Richard III's nephews, Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury - also known as the Princes in the Tower.

Captive Queen: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine

Renowned for her highly acclaimed and bestselling British histories, Alison Weir has in recent years made a major impact on the fiction scene with her novels about Queen Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey. In this latest offering, she imagines the world of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the beautiful twelfth-century woman who was queen of France until she abandoned her royal husband for the younger man who would become king of England.

Virgins: An Outlander Short

Mourning the death of his father and gravely injured at the hands of the English, Jamie Fraser finds himself running with a band of mercenaries in the French countryside, where he reconnects with his old friend, Ian Murray. Both are nursing wounds, both have good reason to stay out of Scotland, and both are still virgins despite several opportunities to remedy that deplorable situation with ladies of easy virtue.

The Summer Queen: Eleanor of Aquitaine Trilogy, Book 1

Eleanor of Aquitaine's story deserves to be legendary. She is an icon who has fascinated readers for over 800 years. But the real Eleanor remains elusive - until now. Based on the most up-to-date research, award-winning novelist Elizabeth Chadwick brings Eleanor's magnificent story to life, as never before, unveiling the real Eleanor. Young, golden-haired and blue-eyed Eleanor has everything to look forward to as the heiress to wealthy Aquitaine.

The Handmaid's Tale: Special Edition

After a violent coup in the United States overthrows the Constitution and ushers in a new government regime, the Republic of Gilead imposes subservient roles on all women. Offred, now a Handmaid tasked with the singular role of procreation in the childless household of the enigmatic Commander and his bitter wife, can remember a time when she lived with her husband and daughter and had a job, before she lost everything, even her own name.

Owen: Tudor Trilogy, Book 1

England, 1422: Owen Tudor, a Welsh servant, waits in Windsor Castle to meet his new mistress, the beautiful and lonely Queen Catherine of Valois, widow of the warrior king, Henry V. Her infant son is crowned king of England and France, and while the country simmers on the brink of civil war, Owen becomes her protector. They fall in love, risking Owen's life and Queen Catherine's reputation, but how do they found the dynasty that changes British history - the Tudors?

Innocent Traitor: A Novel of Lady Jane Grey

The child of a scheming father and ruthless mother, Lady Jane Grey is born during a time when ambition dictates action. Cousin to Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I, she is merely a pawn in a political and religious game in which one false step means a certain demise. But Lady Jane has remarkable qualities that help her to withstand the constant pressures of the royal machinery far better than most expect.

The Wars of the Roses: The Fall of the Plantagenets and the Rise of the Tudors

The 15th century saw the longest and bloodiest series of civil wars in British history. The crown of England changed hands five times as two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty fought to the death for the right to rule. Now, celebrated historian Dan Jones describes how the longest reigning British royal family tore itself apart until it was finally replaced by the Tudors. Some of the greatest heroes and villains in history were thrown together in these turbulent times.

Plantagenet Princess, Tudor Queen: The Story of Elizabeth of York

She was the mother of Henry VIII and wife of Henry VII, but who was Elizabeth of York? Raised as the precious eldest child of Edward IV, Elizabeth had every reason to expect a bright future until Edward died, and her life fell apart. When Elizabeth's uncle became Richard III, she was forced to choose sides. Should she trust her father's brother and most loyal supporter or honor the betrothal that her mother has made for her to her family's enemy, Henry Tudor? The choice was made for her on the field at Bosworth.

Victoria: A Novel

Early one morning, less than a month after her 18th birthday, Alexandrina Victoria is roused from bed with the news that her uncle William IV has died, and she is now queen of England. The men who run the country have doubts about whether this sheltered young woman, who stands less than five feet tall, can rule the greatest nation in the world. Surely she must rely on her mother and her venal advisor, Sir John Conroy, or her uncle, the Duke of Cumberland, who are all too eager to relieve her of the burdens of power.

The Children of Henry VIII

New York Times best-selling author Alison Weir is one of the most popular chroniclers of British and European royal history. In this fascinating book she sheds light on the scheming, backstabbing and brutality that plagued England after Henry VIII’s death. Filled with remarkable and sometimes shocking details, The Children of Henry VIII is an arresting narrative that brings the past to life and infuses it with all the flair of a riveting novel.

The Lady Elizabeth: A Novel

Best-selling author Alison Weir turns her masterly storytelling skills to the early life of young Elizabeth Tudor, who would grow up to become England's most intriguing and powerful queen. Sweeping in scope, The Lady Elizabeth is a fascinating portrayal of a woman far ahead of her time - whose dangerous and dramatic path to the throne shapes her future greatness.

The Lost Tudor Princess: The Life of Lady Margaret Douglas

From New York Times best-selling author and acclaimed historian Alison Weir comes the first biography of Mary Douglas, the beautiful, cunning niece of Henry VIII of England who used her sharp intelligence and covert power to influence the succession after the death of Elizabeth I.

The King's Grace

All that history knows of Grace Plantagenet is that she was an illegitimate daughter of Edward IV and one of two attendants aboard the funeral barge of his widowed queen. Thus, she was half sister of the famous young princes, who, when this story begins in 1485, had been housed in the Tower by their uncle, Richard III, and are presumed dead. But in the 1490s, a young man appears at the courts of Europe claiming to be Richard, duke of York, seeking to claim his rightful throne from England's first Tudor king.

The Sisters of Versailles: Mistresses of Versailles Series # 1

Set against the lavish backdrop of the French Court in the early years of the 18th century, The Sisters of Versailles is the extraordinary tale of the five Nesle sisters - Louise, Pauline, Diane, Hortense, and Marie-Anne - four of whom became mistresses to King Louis XV. Their scandalous story is stranger than fiction but true in every shocking, amusing, and heartbreaking detail.Court intriguers are beginning to sense that young King Louis XV, after seven years of marriage, is tiring of his Polish wife.

Publisher's Summary

The newest novel from #1 New York Times best-selling author and "queen of royal fiction" (USA Today) Philippa Gregory tells the passionate story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of the White Queen, who gets caught in the middle of a battle for the crown of England.

The White Princess opens as the news of the battle of Bosworth is brought to Princess Elizabeth of York, who will learn not only which rival royal house has triumphed, Tudor or York, but also which suitor she must marry: Richard III her lover, or Henry Tudor her enemy.

A princess from birth, Elizabeth fell in love with Richard III, though her mother made an arranged betrothal for her with the pretender to the throne: Henry Tudor. When Henry defeats Richard against all odds, Elizabeth has to marry the man who murdered her lover in battle, and create a new royal family with him and his ambitious mother: Margaret Beaufort, The Red Queen. But, while the new monarchy can win, it cannot, it seems, hold power in an England which remembers the House of York with love.

The new king’s greatest fear is that somewhere, outside England, a prince from the House of York is waiting to invade and re-claim the throne for the house of York. Fearing that none of his new allies can be trusted, Henry turns to his wife to advise him, all the time knowing that her loyalties must be divided. When the young man who would be king finally leads his army and invades England, it is for Elizabeth to decide whether she recognizes him as her brother and a claimant to the throne, or denies him in favor of the husband she is coming to love....

Patience. This is, without doubt, the most repetitive book I've read, including cookbooks. I dare you to take a sip of wine every time "the boy" is mentioned in the latter half of this book and try to finish a chapter before passing out. Truly, this story (don't confuse it with history) could have been told in one-third the length.

Nearly every one of Elizabeth's thoughts, and her conversations with Maggie, with Henry, with Margaret, with her mother (notice a pattern?), are repeated almost verbatim and/or paraphrased multiple times -- some ad nauseam. Entire chapters consist of repetitions, with only one new minor point plot offered. Describing being drawn and quartered once in excruciating detail will suffice, thanks. Just write "drawn and quartered" after that, we're smart enough to know what you mean. We don't need to be lectured in almost identical detail twice, and partially a third time . . . maybe more. I confess I drifted off a number of times, but I doubt I missed anything I hadn't heard previously several times.

If I hadn't liked The White Queen so much, I wouldn't have persevered to finish, hoping for more and better. It's hard to swallow the premise that the calm, poised, wise-beyond-her-years Elizabeth of The White Queen would develop a grand passion for her uncle, who betrayed a promise to her father, imprisoned and potentially murdered her dear brothers. Cultivating his interest for strategic reasons to protect the Woodvilles may make have made sense. The main characters are static over a near 15-year time span, never growing or learning from their mistakes. If Henry VII was as incapable, cowardly, sniveling, and mother-dominated as depicted here, his uncle would have made a deal with the Yorks to knock him off as soon as there was an heir and a spare, putting the York-Tudor hybrid Arthur on the throne. In reality, history suggests Henry VII had no mistress after marriage to Elizabeth, that Elizabeth and Henry had a successful perhaps loving marriage, that Margaret Beaufort was not an ogre, that Henry's reign was more successful, etc.

No, not quoting Macbeth in comparison to this work of historical fiction, merely trying to illustrate how repetition consumes this novel. If you've read several of Philippa Gregory's works, you know the recipe of a little fact; a lot of conjecture; and a great deal of restating the same ideas. These works are B+ romantic novels and I'm not embarrassed to admit I enjoy some of her books.

It doesn't put me off how she takes leeway with some facts. Having read several of her Tudor novels, I was empowered to read and research material on the subjects on my own. Enjoyed the journey to discovery.

I had high hopes wanting to know about Henry VIII's mother and the childhood of the four children. Minimal pages are devoted to the offspring and quick references to Henry's gluttony of food and playing games were given paucity of attention. The beginning was interesting (even if not historically correct) and I sympathized with Elizabeth being trapped in a loveless marriage. However, the next 3/4 of the book regurgitated the same idea of how Henry VII was a usurper and his paranoia of chasing the possibility a true York king coming to take his throne were churned out superfluously.

Greggory should take her time and get back to the originality and fervent storytelling from her earlier novels instead of churning out books so quickly. Ignore the big paychecks for quantity and take time for quality.

I don't know. Someone who can tolerate repetition and an annoying, weak, and indecisive Queen.

What do you think your next listen will be?

I have to check my wish list but I think I may read about Queen Isabella of Spain by another author.

Which scene was your favorite?

I don't think I had a favorite. I did enjoy the brief period of Elizabeth & Henry being in love but that did not last long.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The White Princess?

The second and third parts of this book were horrible. It went on and on and on! I don't think I could listen to the phrases "I don't know" or "the boy" any longer. It started off strong but it should have been written from another perspective. This book was barely about Elizabeth of York. It was all about a paranoid Henry and "the boy". I am so disappointed because I love this series. I wish we could have learned a little more about her kids. Elizabeth just came off whiny and weak. I wish it would have extended further into Arthur's death.

Any additional comments?

I was highly disappointed in this book. I had been waiting for it since before she wrote "The Kingmaker's Daughter". Elizabeth was not likeable at all. She was weak and indecisive and intolerable. The portrayal of Henry was ridiculous. I know she takes liberties with the history but this was just too far out there. It was not believable at all. How can a king spend so many of his years reign being paranoid about "the boy" and when he finally gets him he does not execute him because he is infatuated by his wife!!! I almost couldn't listen to the whole thing. I had to force myself to finish it. I have never been so happy to have an audiobook end. The only good thing about this book was Bianca Amato.

I truly don't know where to start with how much I disliked this book so I'll actually begin with the few positives.

Bianca Amato's narration was extraordinary and the only feature that allowed me to finish this novel.I have listened to books she has read in the past where I wasn't in love with her voice, but for this book, her voice was well-paced and soothing to listen to. She got the gender voices done without over-exaggerating the differences. Truly, I would not have finished this book (and almost didn't) but for the narration. I have never put those words in a review before.

The novel brings the War of the Roses series to a conclusion and merges it into the Tudor series (The Constant Princess would logically follow from the conclusion of this story). I'm very glad Ms. Gregory wrote the Tudor books and The White Queen first so that I know that, somewhere, she has some knowledge of the time period. This book most certainly does not demonstrate any such knowledge.

The negatives are based in the "levels" of the book that Ms. Gregory defines at the end in her "Author's Note." Apparently, her intent was to create a "novel about a mystery that has never been solved." Therefore, she unabashedly makes stuff up left and right throughout the entire novel. I would love to see a single piece of historical research that even hints that Henry VII raped Elizabeth of York repeatedly prior to their wedding in order to see if she was fertile and only married her once she became pregnant. For Tudor fans out there who have done an iota of research, this is painful to read material. I completely understand that Ms. Gregory is of the school of thought that one of the two princes survived the Tower of London and that Richard III was not responsible for their deaths. I'm not taking a stand on that question in this review -- even if you accept as true that the younger prince (who would have rightfully been Richard IV of England) was not in the Tower of that he somehow survived or that someone other than Richard III or one of his minions killed the princes, the story doesn't work.

I will give a fiction writer every reasonable inch of "willing suspension of disbelief" to allow them to tell their story. What I will not enable with any positive comments is not warning the reader in advance that the author's plan is to do so. A recent book called "The Boleyn King" says at the outset: what if Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII had a son and Anne Boleyn was not executed? That is a very good premise for a novel and I enjoyed the story. It was fun, it was completely against any and all historical facts and I had no problem with the story BECAUSE of the disclosure. Ms. Gregory attempts in her Author's Note to justify her diversion from anything resembling truth.

Even more grating was the author's use of repetition as a literary tool. I've complained about this style in other novels she has written (specifically, "The Red Queen"), but she perfected whiny repeated phrases in this most recent epic tale. Once again, I found myself thinking "ok Philippa, I get it... Henry VII is afraid of 'the boy' who might be young Richard... I get that Henry VII and his ridiculous mother, Margaret Beaufort, trust no one and have a spy network. I get that Elizabeth of York is emotionally torn between her duties as a York princess and her duties as a Tudor wife." I felt like my ears were bleeding from the use of the words: "the boy." I'd be very interested to see a proportional word count of how many times that phrase appears. It could easily be up to 25% of the words in the entire novel. Maybe it's the presence of Margaret Beaufort -- the repetition was ghastly in the novel about her as well.

I have never, ever given a story one star until today. This book was simply horrible. Ms. Gregory fails in her attempt to re-write history; written by the victors or not. The characters are shallow and false. The writing is borderline unbearable. The "mystery" that is "solved" by the novel has nothing to do with Elizabeth of York so even the title of the book is misleading. If Ms. Gregorty wanted to write a "what if" story about the younger prince in the Tower, she should have called it "The Missing Prince" or something else that more truthfully highlights what the story is about -- not used an interesting woman from York/Lancaster/Tudor times and crammed her into being the emotional outlet for a fairytale that has no basis in fact.

If you have read all of the other books and really want to finish the story, go ahead and wade through this tome. Otherwise, use your credit more wisely.

I believe this could have been much better if another narrator was chosen that has more than one cadence. Bianca Amato read this whole story with little emotion except gloomy. I had begun listening and couldn't shake the gloomy feeling I got from it. Because of that I had a hard time finishing, and I certainly won't be listening again. There were plenty of opportunities to be anything but what it is. Going back.

Yes. I typically enjoy Philippa Gregory's books. The narration was excellent. The Cousin's War series is not fantastic. This book is repetitive and dull. I'm about 15 hours in and may not finish it. If I hear the term "The Boy" one more time my head may explode. Elizabeth's character is washy-washy. I sorta want to slap her. Most of her dialogue is just repeating what Henry is asking her. I don't buy how she goes from hating him to being passionately in love with him in a minute without some heroic, sexy act on his part. Yawn.

If you don't know history and you hate the Tudors this book is right up your alley. If you have a fanatical love of Richard III and you hate storytelling/compelling characters, this is your story.

What could Philippa Gregory have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Maybe be a little less obviously a Bride of Gloucester, It was written very quickly, the protagonist is boring and has no soul. All she says is "I don't know" .

Would you be willing to try another one of Bianca Amato’s performances?

The reader was ok, but i feel even she was bored by the story, she brought the male voices to life though.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The White Princess?

The rape scene is unfounded, not in history. Apparently Elizabeth and her husband got on well. so I'd cut most of the third book.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Cecilie

London, United Kingdom

7/23/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"The red queen and her son cast as vilians - again."

Is there anything you would change about this book?

While Philippa Gregory's novels are generally well written with at least a founding in history - this novel makes me very angry. Historians, generally agree, that while Elizabeth and Henry's marriage was political, genuine affection soon developed between them. The idea that Henry would rape Elizabeth is absurd! This novel makes Henry out to be a weak man, ruled completely by his mother - Which is a poor portrayal of a man that rarely saw his mother and fought his entire youth for his crown. Was Henry a calculating man? Yes. Did he take much advice from his mother? Yes. But he was not a weakling!

7 of 10 people found this review helpful

sally phelan

11/2/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Brilliant"

Love this narrator, love the book as always a good read / listen from p Gregory

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Mrs Sarah E Healy

12/12/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Excellent"

Excellent as always. Can't wait to start the next one. ***** quality. A serious must read!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Susan

Birmingham, United Kingdom

8/30/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"This download does not work, help doesn't- BEWARE"

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

If the download worked or if Audible replied to e-mails as their information says they will. I e-mailed Sunday and by Friday nothing, in my book response within 2 days means Weds at the latest, beware poor service. If no response by next Friday I will post on all the social media I belong to to warn others of my poor experience

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

C

Ipswich, United Kingdom

8/11/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great Story"

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

A great read for fans of Philippa Gregory

Any additional comments?

I have purchased a lot of Philippa Gregory's work, in one format or another, so I eagerly awaited the release of this one, having enjoyed the others.

The White Princess is an excellent read, but really has to be considered as fiction rather than history. These characters existed in history, but so much has been assumed or guessed at in this book that I wouldn't necessarilly believe any of it!

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

Maggie Kelly

Moseley, United Kingdom

12/11/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great telling of one of the possibilities"

Who was your favorite character and why?

Henry's character was interesting - in this version of what might have happened he grows into kingship and then seems to lose it again.

What three words best describe Bianca Amato’s voice?

I wish she'd not pronounce "off" as "orf" - it really grated on me, but her characterisation was good.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

"I don't know" - it's all Elizabeth seems to say :)

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Micke Blomqvist

12/7/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"Terrific Tudor Tale"

Where does The White Princess rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The White Princess is my first Phillipa Gregory listen, although I have read and watched The Other Boleyn Girl. Having watched the dramatisation of the White Queen on TV recently, I was keen to know what happens next. This captivating take on real history certainly rates as one of my books of the year.

What did you like best about this story?

I really enjoyed the combination of historical facts and the characters had great depth.

What about Bianca Amato’s performance did you like?

Bianca Amato's narration is very good and suits the story well.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The character of Henry Tudor is fascinating. I wanted desperately to find some redeeming features, but his paranoia and cruelty made him look anything but kingly.

Any additional comments?

If you like historical fiction, you will love this.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Wout

Valencia, España

9/28/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"A nice follow up after the BBC series."

If you could sum up The White Princess in three words, what would they be?

Entertaining story and a nice, believable, version of the events.

What other book might you compare The White Princess to, and why?

I think the White Queen.

What does Bianca Amato bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

She does a great voice switch between the characters without being a caricature.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh a few times due to the excellent performance.

Any additional comments?

This was my first audio book and now I am hooked.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

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